Baby on Board

Pub?

Lottie, I won't be home for a while. Bob is dragging me out for drinks with the others. I'll sleep in the spare room tonight. A drunk me is a like an elephant in a tutu- not graceful or subtle at all. It's for your own safety. I love you. 

Once the text is sent, I stash my phone in the locker and grab my clothes, heading to the changing room so that I could get out of my scrubs. Today, Bob, Lewis and I operated on a little boy who was poorly and while the procedure was touch and go for a while, we managed to get out of theatre on time and deliver some good news to the family. That said, we were all exhausted and in dire need of a stiff drink. Bob said he was buying the first five rounds and that was cause for celebration in itself; he never opens his wallet and when he does, moths come flying out. I tried to get out of going to the pub but when Bob said that it was a mandatory team building exercise, I was practically forced into a corner and had to agree. 

Plus, we were celebrating Lewis' new job. As a foundation doctor, he worked in our department while on rotation and even though he was most recently with neuro, he'd applied to complete his speciality training with us at SNAPS, focusing on cardiothoracic.  After months of rigorous tests and rounds of interviews, Bob took Lewis aside and told him the good news- that his application had been granted- and offered him a place beside us in the operating room today. Seeing as we hadn't screwed up, we were also being treated to drinks at the boss' expense. 

"I haven't been out in a while," Lewis admitted as soon as we entered the pub closest to the hospital. 

It was quiet, as expected on a Wednesday evening, and the only people there were the regulars that I was used to seeing back when I was single and playing the field. The barmaid, I remember, had a bit of a soft spot for me and while she was attractive, I never did anything more that playfully flirt with her. Tonight, however, I wasn't remotely interested in doing that. Luckily, a man came to serve us and true to his word, Bob paid for the drinks. 

"I asked Ben to come with us so this one is his for when he arrives," Bob explained when Lewis asked him why he was carrying two pints of beer. Sitting down, Bob sat opposite Lewis and me, his eyes surveying us from behind his circular glasses. "Well, I have to say, when I choose my legacies, I choose them well. I mentored you both and now look at you!"

I frowned. "I thought I was the one that mentored Lewis, not you."

"I mentored you, so technically, I mentored Lewis, too," Bob smiled, taking credit for all the work that I had put in with Lewis. To be honest, the man had a point. All I'd really done was teach Lewis everything Bo had taught me back in the day, only I improved on it all slightly. Bob sipped on his pint slowly, savouring the taste. "You know, Eloise hasn't let me out to the pub after work in years. I miss it."

I scoff. I knew exactly why Eloise didn't leave Bob go out after work. He made the mistake of coming out with me and Ben one evening and after a few too many tumblers of whisky, we ended up taking Bob to a strip club and when he was blind drunk, had him pose next to a few of the dancers and sent the photos to his wife. After that, he was never allowed out with us again. Poor thing. At least we all matured after that incident.